Las Vegas Strip mega-hotel Resorts World now open

The first new resort built on The Strip in more than a decade is now open.

Late Thursday evening, the $4.3 billion Resorts World Las Vegas welcomed the public inside. The opening of the mega hotel represents a major turning point for a slice of Las Vegas Boulevard battered by the last recession that never quite recovered — until now.

“It took a while to recover from the recession and for Las Vegas to get its groove back,” said Nevada historian Michael Green. “And the spot itself means a great deal.” 

Resorts World Las Vegas is now open to the public. The first property built and opened on The Strip in more than a decade welcomed guests inside on June 24, 2021.

Long road to opening 

Where Resorts World now stands sat an iconic piece of Las Vegas history: Stardust. Opened in 1958, it was at the time the largest hotel on The Strip.

“The site rings just about every bell you can think of in terms of the history of gaming and resorts in Las Vegas,” said Green, whose father was a Stardust card dealer. 

After owner Boyd Gaming imploded Stardust in 2007, the company planned to build a new hotel-casino to replace it. But the recession left the project a dormant skeleton of steel and concrete that stayed dormant for years.